If you thought bragging rights were only for supercars, you must have missed the last three decades of truck commercials. The pickup truck market is a numbers game along with brand loyalty. You’ve probably driven past the mega-dealers with acres of white commercial trucks, and sadly they will become beasts of burden and parted out. But the other end of the lot is filled with luxury-laden plush trucks. If you want all the fancy options, you will need to pay more than before, but you can’t argue with the performance. New for 2017, Chevrolet and GMC have released a 6.6 liter Duramax diesel with incredible numbers. So impressed of their latest bruiser, Chevy sent us a 2017 Silverado 2500 High Country with 4WD.
At first, you will not believe its an oil burner. The engine is all new, sharing only the same 6.6-liter displacement. You won’t hear it coming thanks to an insulated oil pan that looks to be made of wrought iron. Everything inside is forged in order to handle 29 psi of boost and 29,000 psi of fuel pressure. What you have at your command is 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. That is over 9 times the torque of a Fiat 500, and it arrives at 1,550 rpm. The blue oval fans may claim more torque from their power choke, but this new V8 is a smooth operator. Gas powered trucks get a 4.10 ratio differential but 3.73s are the only option for the D-max. Between the engine and the axles is the venerable Allison 6 speed automatic. The ratios are perfectly suited to hard work, and it adapts quickly to changing demands.
Driving a 3/4 ton truck can be imposing to the uninitiated, but this Silverado shares many of the luxuries found in the GMC Denali and the Cadillac Escalade. The cabin is as quiet as a library until you want to have fun. Now that the engine computer has full control of the turbo, building boost for launch is easy. Standing on the brake pedal with a dash of accelerator is equivalent to having an ACME rocket bolted to the gooseneck. The High Country package includes all the bling, like the Silverado, was once an option package on the C/K series.
Going to the bank or fast food drive through, people look at you like a boss. For a construction worker, you don’t want to see the High Country rolling up at the site. Every option is included, from wireless phone charging to chrome recovery hooks. It all adds up to $70,875 but our dealers have nice incentives for the summer. Of course, the Duramax is available without all the bling, so tell us if you prefer power or pleasantries. If your truck wears a bowtie, stay with us for all your news & reviews.
